Portals

Photo by Asmundur
(www.flickr.com/photos/asmundur)
(www.hdri.wordpress.com)

I had not seen that part of the house yet. As it had been built on a slope, it had windows in the basement and a gateway to the garden in the back. There were windows in almost every room and the corridor’s doors were open, letting daylight illuminate a little bit those corridors that seemed more like catacombs of luxury.

- If my father were alive at the time of reconstruction of the house, – Elisa confessed, leading to an open door of the corridor – I doubt very much that he’d let Carlos spend so much money as he spent in the works. We argued a lot. After all, who put marble on the floor of a cave?!

I looked at the floor. Marble, in fact. One of the best. Elisa sighed, still reviewing the entire floor and basement:

- But between the discussions and the works that were being made here, a work of art was born, the most beautiful place in which I’ve lived until today.
- Certainly. – I agree, looking slightly at the stairs.
- For example, – Elisa announced with a proud tone of voice – I believe this division to be the pearl of the house.

I looked to where she was pointing. It was a sort of gym, illuminated by the natural sunlight coming from the windows, and like any good gym, it had a huge mirror covering an entire wall from top to bottom. I forgot the stairs for a moment, looking astonished at the mirror.

- I always wanted to have a gym here. – Elisa continued, right next to me – and my husband always wanted a music studio. So we decided to combine the two.

She pointed across the corridor, where there was a small room with what appeared to be actually a studio recording of sounds.
- It’s his hobby, music. – she added, with a smile – It was great for my tango’s classes, actually.
- Oh, my God…

Elisa continued to speak, but I wasn’t listening anymore. I couldn’t take my eyes from the huge mirror. Given the right conditions, that mirror could release all the souls from the Limbo.

It’s not like every house where there’s a giant mirror installed right next to a studio sound are conducive to be assaulted by spirits. It’s just that there was a spirit on the loose in that house opening portals everytime he came in here and the Limbo is crawling with souls eager to leave for this world. If they find the portals through which Abel moved… Well, let’s just say that that house would stay on sale until the end of times. And I’d never receive my commission.

I looked back to the stairs. I didn’t hear any steps. Which meant I didn’t know where is the old man was anymore.

Elisa’s voice seemed like coming from the bottom of a well:

- I’m so sorry that my father isn’t alive to see how the house turned out. He’d have trimmed until he get a hoarse throat with what was spent in the reconstruction but I know he would have loved it.
- I can imagine… – I commented, distracted, intensely watching the reflections in the mirror.
- After all, we kept almost everything. We even had the house painted outside with the same color as before…
- Yeah…
- Shall we go to the garden?

The portals open in that house would only be closed when Abel left to the Eternal Lands once and for all. And I had to do it as soon as possible.

- Emma?

Suddenly, I was back to the present:

- Yes?
- So, are you distracted? – she joked.
- No, no… I’m sorry… This huge mirror… It’s fantastic. – I looked around – Nobody would say that this is a basement.

She smiled, with some sadness in her eyes.

- I’d love to see the garden now. – I added, quickly.

She was animated and soon turned to the exit from the basement. I took the chance to quietly look for the stairs again, with all my two ears on alert. I still did not hear anything and simply glanced at the giant mirror before following after Elisa.

Precisely at that moment, a white mist began creeping up slowly out of the mirror, spreading out on the floor of the gym, and two darkened legs emerged out of the mirror. Abel, with a down look in his eyes, walked back out of the Limbo, dressed in some burned tatters. He looked at me with a sad expression. Somewhere in the neighborhood, a dog yelped.

-Oh, no. – I sighed, dispirited – There we go again.

I closed the door immediately and locked it, moving away from it at once. I joined my hands and prayed silently.

It didn’t work, of course. Very, very slowly, the door handle began to turn. Suddenly, the cave went cold. The temperature dropped so fast I heard the door snap to it. Below the door, a white mist began to escape into the corridor, involving my feet in a cold chill. I looked for Elisa. She had already left for the garden, and fortunately, didn’t come back to look for me.

- Abel! – I exclamed, angry.

The fog retreated immediately, completely disappearing under the door.

- You… are… a stubborn old man! You stay there until I meet you, okay? I garantee you’ll have your chance to talk to your daughter! Calm down, please!

I stood there for moments, watching the door. Nothing. Not even a peep. Then I went out to the garden.

- Now my feet are frozen! – I grumped on my way – I hate it when that happens!

The moment I opened the door to the garden, I heard a huge bang behind me. I turned around immediately. The locked door of the gym was shaking madly, and from within came an intense light that illuminated the corridor in a sparking and chaotic way. The violence with which the door rocked on the hinges was such that I was sure it would explode right there and splinter into a thousand pieces.

The sound of a tornado crossed the corridor with fury and the wind came up to me, dropping several items along the way, pulling my hair back. It hit me like a slap in the face.